Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-24
JONAH AND THE WHALE.
DIR. Leonard w. Bacon Discusses
the Great Bible Story.

This lecture, the fifth Of the series. fully
sustains the reputation OF the able lee
turer. His style IN these lectures is not
as brilliant and attractive, perhaps. nor
Is there the same poetic ferYOr and lltera-
ry finish that distinguish his interesting
sermons, but be shows many OF the high
est qualities OF the teacher, both In the
material and admirably arranged facts,in
the cie2rnesS and accuracy OF statement,
ard in his quiet manner OF speaking.
Before speaking directly Of the book of
Jonah, the speaker asked attention to
some facts concerning the Book OF Job,
remarking that the points OF resemblance
between the two books thus set parallel
with each other are very striking. Each
OF them is constructed with prose pro-
logue and epilogue which furnish the
setting for central poem. Neither Of
them has more than the slightest point OF
attachment TO authenticated history. In
Jonah the name OF the prophet has mere
mention in the Book OF Kings, ana no
more. Contrary to the usage OF the his
torical books OF the Old Testament, there
is no name given OF the liking OF Nine
veh," as he is called, by which we might
Tx the chronology OF the story and seek
tor combinations of the veracity OF it.
The most conspicuous incident OF the
story, the incident OF the great fish, is lelt
by all critical readers 10 be exceptional
to the course OF the miracles related in
the Old Test ament, in that it has 40 OBJ
ject corresponding to it's magnitude, and
has merely personal reference. while all
the other miracles OF the Old Testament
are in connection with the theOcratical
government, and occur in the midst and
Tor the benefit OF the people of God" 1t
is felt. moreover, by almost all readers,
to have weird, Grotesque, fantastic
character, much like the imaginations of
an Oriental tale, and most unlike the his
tOric variations of the Scripture books.
Aud finally, in reading the book Of Jonah
as In reading that OF Job, my own mind
Is Irresistibly impressed with the signs of
literary and poetry art with wAich it is
| constructed, as il with the design of illus
trating single and noble moral toward
which all the incidents are worked up
with striking unity and Characteristic
effect.
I'VE may concluded he said, upon
! investigation that this brief
and poem adapted to religious edification,
when 1t is really a piece of literal and
exact history; or we may conclude that
1t is an exact history; or we may conclude
that 1t is an exact transcript from the
autobiography OF the son OF AmittaI,
With the complete text of mis- prayer,
word for word as it was uttered in the
depths Of the sea from the belly of the
great fish, when In point of tact we are
reading the writing of some inspired bard
VINO Is enforcing through transparent
religious fiction his message that Gods
saving mercy is 10 all nations without re-
spect of persons.
at is we'll to note two or three incidental
lessons that have already lOated up to
The surface of the argument, as we have
| f,ad IT,, /. s.L
the various departments Of literature
represented IN the Scriptures the book of
Jonah is to be referred.
1.-The first is, that we are in all the better
position to judge wisely in such a case
when we judge in perfect freedom, under
no compulsion and no fear or anxiety. 1t
does not appear that the progress of
astronomy was much helped in the old
| times by having 1t understood that the
man who should reach certain conclus-
ions was to be imprisoned or burned alive.
"There is no Christian who, lit should
| come to be clearly demonstrated to him
that the story of Jonah had never been
meant to be received as a literal or his
| tOric fact, but only as legend, carrying
with it noble religious lesson, would
| not have a sense of relief.
"There is nothing hard for omnipotence
| in the miracle if it was a miracle OF the
great fish. There is nothing incredible in
the story of it if God declares it TO be a
fact. But when the question under con-
slderation is, has God so declared it? then
| the intrinsic character of the story is a
most important part OF the argument. and
| whenever we ind that by other arguments
a story OF divine working which is clearly
anomalous and unlike Gods ways is
shown to be no part OF the divine history
we feel clearer in our knowledge of God
and stronger in our faith.
1--WE have come very close, thus, to this
further lesson: That credulity is not a
Christian virtue. Faith In God Is the
sum Of all virtues and the living spring OF
them. But faith in God is a very differ
ent thing from the easy-going acceptance
OF everything that is offered to our belief
by men assuming to speak in Gods name
is wholly different from that man
ly spirit of scrutinizing in
quiry before accepting, which
the historian, Luke, admiringly charac-
terizes as the "nobleness" OF the men OF
Berea. Those are not the men OF the
greatest faith who believe the most things
on the smallest evidence and with the
least inquiry; the men Of greatest faith
are they whose trust in God as the re-
warder of all who diligently seek him il
80 entire that they are not afraid humbly
and dev0utly to inquire about anything
such men have, in the long run, not on y
faith in God, but convictions OF Gods
truth, compared with the solid frmness o.
which the traditionary tenets Of the mer
of little faith who are afraid to inquire
are like the shifting sand. For they mold
their convictions not by their will, but by
their understanding.
"In the popular traditions of the East
and West Jonah's name alone has sur
vived the lesser prophets OF the Jewish
church. 1t still lives, not only in many O
Mussulman tomb along the coasts and
hills of Syria, but in the thoughts and de.
votions Of Christendom. The marvellous
escape from the deep, through single
passing allusion In the Gospel history
was an emblem OF the dellverance OF
Christ himselfcrom the jaws of death anC
the grave. The great Christian doctrine
of the boundless power Of human repent
apce received its chief illustration from
the repentance OF the Nineyites at the
preaching OF Jonah. There is hardly any
figure from the Old Testament which the
early Christians in the Catacombs 81
often took as their consolation In perse
cution as the deliyerance of Jonah on the
sea shore"